Dear KE Community:
KE celebrated its 10th anniversary at our annual fundraiser Expect the Unexpected on May 5th at the Space Gallery. We keep counting UP as we become a more sustainable and vibrant organization. Here are some Unexpected highlights from this year and important announcements for the coming year.
• KE surpassed for the first time 150 students attending weekly classes
• KE faculty taught an average of 18 classes per semester
• KE welcomed new faculty member Rabbi Jamie Arnold
• KE received major grants from Rose Community Foundation to re-brand KE
• KE was the beneficiary of its largest one-time donation to create a KE Reserve Account
• KE donors increased their support by 33%
• KE launched its Strategic Planning Committee to plan for our future
The only constant is change and change will be reflected in our new identity (brand) as we head into our 11th year. We are indebted and thankful to Hebrew Educational Alliance for providing us a home for the past 5 years that has truly served as an “Area of Refuge” (that is the signage over the exit doors). HEA now needs the building to expand its youth programs and so we will be re-locating. We are currently exploring options.
Stay tuned! The new KE will feature the same times (Monday- Wednesday classes) but not the same channels. As part of our new identity and new location expect to find innovations to our curriculum, additions to our faculty, publications, new programs and our first community weekend retreat.
This summer I will be taking a mini-sabbatical to work on the KE curriculum and to research and write—I am very grateful to the Goldberg Family Foundation for providing me a writing grant. As a result of my writing sabbatical and our re-location we will be offering a few workshops this summer in lieu of regular classes. We will send out that schedule on June 10th.
As the Jewish holidays in the fall are on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we plan to start our fall semester in early October—our BRAND launch, OPEN HOUSE and FREE FALL FESTIVAL will all occur in September. You will be hearing from us soon and often about the new KE, our summer schedule and our fall plans.
Your input is always welcome, informally and well as formally—interviews and surveys were essential in the re-branding process so far—email me david@kabbalahexperience.com with any and all questions, suggestions and comments.
Wishing you all a wonderful summer and stay tuned!
David Sanders
Executive Director
